“I was afraid for my life”

PHOENIX (KPHO/Gray News) – An Arizona woman says she is sharing her horrific experience after being kidnapped by her Lyft driver.

Her driver, Judge Levon, was arrested Wednesday. He is accused of kidnapping the woman after she dozed off in the back seat during a 45-minute drive.

“That day it seemed normal at first and it just turned to the left,” she said.

The mother of two, who wished to remain anonymous, says she has been using Lyft rides to get around for weeks after her car recently broke down. She said she had just gotten off a 10-hour work shift when she requested a ride from a store near 48th Street and Broadway Road.

After the driver picked her up, he reportedly asked her about her plans for the day. She said she told him, “We’re picking up my kids from daycare.” There are two disabled children waiting for me there.”

She said at some point during the drive she fell asleep, but when she woke up she was near 35th Avenue and Bell Road, miles from her drop-off location.

“Then I said, 'Hey sir, you missed my stop.' I dozed off. “It's good that I woke up,” and he just talked to himself: “Allah, Allah, am I okay?”

After he failed to stop and let her out, she said she quickly called 911 and told the dispatcher about the situation.

“I was afraid for my life. I told the dispatcher that I didn't know what was going to happen. I don’t know what his intentions are,” the woman said.

It took about 20 minutes for police to reach the woman.

“My phone was dying and it died. And I was dead with him,” she said. “I just said I won’t go out like that. I will fight because this can't happen to me now. If I don’t get my boys, they won’t have anyone.”

The driver eventually let them out in a field west of the city. He reportedly told police he believed the victim was “the voice in his head” and admitted he had been diagnosed with schizoaffective and bipolar disorder.

The woman said she did not return to work after the incident.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do, you know? Because I’m working so far,” she said. “I'm doing what I can to keep my job, get my kids where they need to go and save for a car, but it's hard. It’s very difficult.”

Levon has since been released from prison and is scheduled to appear in court later this month.

A Lyft spokesperson shared the following statement regarding the situation:

“Safety is fundamental to Lyft and the incident described is deeply disturbing. We have permanently removed the driver from the Lyft platform, have contacted the driver to offer assistance, and stand ready to assist law enforcement with any investigation.”

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